§24.27.1statutus est comitiis dies; quo necopinantibus omnibus unus ex ultima turba Epicyden nominavit, tum inde alius Hippocratem; crebriores deinde hae voces et cum haud dubio adsensu multitudinis esse.
A day was appointed for the assembly; on which day, while all were entirely unprepared, one from the very back of the crowd named Epicydes, and then another from the same quarter Hippocrates; after that, these voices became more frequent and were accompanied by the clear assent of the multitude.
§24.27.2et erat confusa contio non populari modo sed militari quoque turba, magna ex parte etiam perfugis, qui omnia novare cupiebant, permixtis.
And the assembly was thrown into confusion, not only by the crowd of citizens but also by that of the soldiers, with a large portion of deserters, who wished to throw everything into revolution, also mixed in.
§24.27.3praetores dissimulare primo et trahenda sedin mora esse; postremo victi consensu et seditionem metuentes pronuntiant eos praetores.
The praetors at first pretended not to notice and sought to delay matters by dragging them out; at last, overcome by the consensus and fearing a mutiny, they declared them to be praetors.
§24.27.4nec illi primo statim creati nudare, quid vellent, quamquam aegre ferebant et de indutiis dierum decem legatos isse ad Appium Claudium et inpetratis eis alios, qui de foedere antiquo renovando agerent, missos.
Nor did those men, immediately upon being elected, at once lay bare what they wanted, although they were highly displeased both that envoys had gone to Appius Claudius regarding a ten-day truce, and that, after obtaining it, others had been sent to negotiate the renewal of the ancient treaty.
§24.27.5ad Murgantiam tum classem navium centum Romanus habebat, quonam evaderent motus ex caedibus tyrannorum orti Syracusis, quove eos ageret nova atque insolita libertas, opperiens.
At that time, the Roman commander had a fleet of a hundred ships at Murgantia, waiting to see where the movements arising from the slaughter of the tyrants in Syracuse would end, or where this new and unaccustomed liberty would drive them.
§24.27.6per eosdem dies cum ad Marcellum venientem in Siciliam legati Syracusani missi ab Appio essent, auditis condicionibus pacis Marcellus posse rem convenire ratus et ipse legatos Syracusas, qui coram cum praetoribus de renovando foedere agerent, misit.
During those same days, when the Syracusan envoys sent by Appius had come to Marcellus as he was arriving in Sicily, Marcellus, having heard the terms of peace and thinking that an agreement could be reached, himself also sent envoys to Syracuse to treat in person with the praetors about renewing the treaty.
§24.27.7et iam ibi nequaquam eadem quies ac tranquillitas erat.
And already there, by no means was there the same peace and tranquility.
postquam Punicam classem accessisse Pachynum adlatum est, dempto timore Hippocrates et Epicydes nunc apud mercennarios milites, nunc apud transfugas prodi Romano Syracusas criminabantur.
After the news brought that the Carthaginian fleet had reached Pachynum, Hippocrates and Epicydes, having cast off their fear, began to charge, now among the mercenary soldiers, now among the deserters, that Syracuse was being betrayed to the Roman.
§24.27.8ut vero Appius naves ad ostium portus, quo amicae partis hominibus animus accederet, in statione habere coepit, ingens in speciem criminibus vanis accesserat fides; §24.27.9ac primo etiam tumultuose decurrerat multitudo ad prohibendos, si in terram egrederentur.
But when Appius began to station ships at the mouth of the harbor, in order that courage might be inspired in the men of the friendly party, a huge credit, in appearance, had been added to the groundless accusations; and at first the multitude had even run down in a tumultuous manner to keep them off, in case they should land.